Megan Guarnier
Born on 4 May 1985, the U.S. rider rode professionally between 2010 and 2019 for Rabobank-Liv Giant, Boels-Dolmans and TIBCO-Silicon Valley. A multiple National Champion, winner of the Giro Rosa, the inaugural UCI Women’s WorldTour and the inaugural Strade Bianche, as well as an Olympian, Guarnier has achieved a lot in her 11-year career as a rider. Her road to cycling, however, began in the pool, where she was a national-level swimmer and named USA Swimming’s Scholastic 2001 All-American, but a persistent shoulder injury forced her out of the pool and onto the bike. She holds a B.A. in neuroscience and after her retirement, decided to go back to further her education.
Bella van der Spiegel-Hage
The former pro-rider turned 74 years on 5 May. Van der Spiegel-Hage comes from a family of cyclists. Seven of its members, including sisters Keetie, Heleen and Ciska, were active in the sport. She rode professionally between 1967 and 1979 and held multiple national road championship titles. Together with her sisters, she would accompany her father at an early age on long rides to his cycling club, sometimes riding up to 90km per day. Never quite achieving the success of her younger sisters, she put it down to her lack of competitiveness. She perceived cycling as a rather more free-time fun activity. Nevertheless, the success of today’s Dutch women’s cycling has its roots way back in 1966 when she won the second ever Dutch nationals, starting a movement that keeps still growing today.
Beryl Burton
Burton was one of Britain’s greatest female athletes, who dominated women’s racing in the U.K. between the 1950s and the 1980s. She won more than 90 domestic championships and seven world titles and set numerous national records. She passed away on 5 May in 1996 while riding her bike, having suffered a fatal heart attack. |
